GoodSports International is a registered nonprofit organization operating in Hungary and Slovakia, dedicated to reaching children with the love of Christ through sports and recreation activities.
GoodSports Stands for Fun
We believe that a childhood without joy is a tragedy. Fun allows for community, for walls between kids, parents, coaches and translators to come crashing down. It allows an easy avenue to learning, encouragement, confidence building and trust. So whether it’s a perfect shot or a well-pitched water balloon, GoodSports exists to help kids have a ball!
GoodSports focuses on high-quality sports, unconditional love , and sharing with others the hope we have in a relationship with Christ.
Slovakia
GoodSports began in Slovakia in 1994 after the iron curtain fell and the separation of Czechoslovakia into the Czech and Slovak Republics. Today, Tom Johnson (former pitcher for the Minnesota Twins) and his wife Debbie have established the GoodSports Youth Center in a district of Bratislava, the capital city. Through the drop-in center, many events are organized including sports leagues and tournaments, tutoring, camps, English lessons, service learning activities and discipleship groups.
Hungary
Hungary is one of GoodSports’ most active regions. There GoodSports works with orphanage children, Roma, as well as the local youth groups. And now we even have a baseball team in our village. Known as the Mikepercs Mosquitoes, the team is proving itself a formidible force in the Hungarian youth baseball league. In 2010, the Mosquitoes won the Hungarian Cup and placed second in the National Championships. Several team members were selected to play on the Hungarian national team, representing the nation in tournaments throughout Europe.
